Surfers dedicate their lives to hunting down the biggest waves. They risk serious injury and death to challenge their skills and prove their worth. These surfers become legends due to their bravery, persistency and skills.

Wiping out comes with the territory of big wave surfing. They are nervous, but surfers release their fears and focus on their breathing while waiting patiently for the perfect wave to rise.

Surfing originated in Hawaii and has been adapted by the entire world. However, big wave surfing is a completely different ballgame. Big wave surfers either paddle in or get towed by jet skis into waves. They hold on tightly to the umbilical rope, as the builds, they release their hold and the jet-ski disappears, leaving the surfer alone in the oceans deadly waves.

Big wave surfing is deadly and surfers undergo intense training before risking their lives. In some cases, a wipeout can push surfers down 20 to 50 feet below the surface, and the risk of being held down by consecutive waves is terrifying. Not only do they have to hold their breath, but they have to remain calm in order to figure out which way is up.

And don't forget about the dangerous ocean creatures, namely sharks. "In 2010, Grant and Didier Parker went out to the break to catch the coral-killing starfish, but instead netted a 1.29-ton tiger shark" (GrindTV). Therefore, among the other dangers, sharks could be a surferÂ’s worst nightmare.

Big wave surfing offers the ride of a lifetime and an intense adrenaline rush. A successful surf offers an outstanding feeling of accomplishment. Respect the courage and fearlessness of big wave surfers and appreciate their passion.

Jaws- Pe'ahi, Maui, Hawaii

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As you may have guessed, Jaws got its name from the terrifying shark thriller. Big wave surfers here use tow-in methods in the water. Most of them are launched by Maliko Bays boat ramp, and towed in to avoid the steep climb as well as extremely fast moving waves. Jaws Peahi is the location of the Red Bull Jaws contest, a surfing contest held for 21 of the best and most daring big wave surfers in the world.

Nazare, Portugual

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Also known as "Portugal's Monster" Nazare is the home of some of the most enormous waves in the world. Garrett McNamara set the world record in 2011 for the biggest wave ever surfed at 78 feet. "In Nazare," the Hawaiian surfer told Time, "the ocean is known as a place of death, not of riding waves" (npr.org). Nazare's waves are created much larger due to the Nazare Canyon. They are so dangerous that big-wave surfer Maya Gabeira was nearly killed during a wipeout in 2013.

Teahupo'o- Tahiti, French Polynesia

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According to Grind TV, Teahupo'o is the most dangerous break in the world. "The waves there have a unique combination of size, power and speed made more dangerous because they break over a sharp coral reef lying only meters below the surface." In one of the first competitions held in Teahupo'o, the contest boat carrying the judges and marshals was struck by a wave and capsized.

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